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Senate Resumes Consideration of Farm Bill and Dairy-Related Amendments Late last Thursday, Senate leaders struck a deal to resume consideration of the 2007 Farm Bill, breaking a gridlock over the number and relevance of amendments to the bill that has stalled progress since mid-November. The agreement will allow Republicans and Democrats to offer a maximum of 20 amendments per party to the bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said the Senate intends to pass the Farm Bill by the end of the week with votes on amendments coming as early as Tuesday.Also last week, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced their plan to offer an amendment to the Farm Bill that would update nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold in schools outside of school meal programs. IDFA joined many other members of the food and beverage industry as well as the public health community in support of the amendment, after Senator Harkin's staff accepted several modifications suggested by IDFA and NMPF to the draft proposal. "IDFA and the National Milk Producers Federation worked closely with Senator Harkin's committee and staff to ensure that dairy products, were treated fairly under the proposal," said Jerry Slominski, IDFA senior vice president of legislative affairs and economic policy. The amendment would allow lowfat or nonfat flavored milk with up to 170 calories per eight-ounce serving and exempt reduced-fat cheese snacks from specified fat limits. It also calls for the Secretary of Education to determine nutrition standards for pizza and other a la carte entrées. IDFA has been actively involved in other areas of the Farm Bill, including options to allow forward contracting for Class II, III and IV milk; the authorization of a new Federal Milk Marketing Order Commission; and the exclusion of the dairy import assessment. For more information, contact Ruth Saunders, IDFA senior director of legislative affairs and policy analysis, at rsaunders@idfa.org or 202-220-3553.
Posted December 10, 2007
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